Convertible article of furniture



April 23, 1963 A. LAYTON CONVERTIBLE ARTICLE OF FURNITURE Filed Feb. 15, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. l.

FIG. 4.

INVENTOR. LAYTON April 23-, 1963 A. LAYTON 3,086,224 CONVERTIBLE ARTICLE OF FURNITURE FIG.7.

4% INVENTOR.

All E/V LAYTO/V fmvb flTTORNEYS United States Patent Office 3,086,224 CONVERTIBLE ARTICLE OF FURNITURE Allen Layton, 2087 Baylis Ave., Elmont, N.Y. Filed Feb. 13, 1961, Ser. No. 88,717 8 Claims. (Cl. -52) This invention relates to convertible articles of furniture, and in particular to an upholstered chair incorporating a foldable frame serving as the seat portion in folded condition, and as a bed in unfolded condition.

The popularity of sofas which are convertible into beds is well known, such articles of furniture being useful where economy of room space is an important consideration. More recently, it has been proposed to provide upholstered arm chairs which contain folded bed frames, the latter being extensible to provide beds when required. Such convertible sofa beds are particularly desirable for even greater economy in room space, it being appreciated that in one-room living quarters, a pair of arm chairs are normally required as part of living room decor. Both arm chairs can then be converted to provide a pair of separate beds.

The commercial acceptance of sofa beds has been seriously hampered by the inherent conflict between chair styling requirements and the physical size requirements for beds. That is to say, the over-all width of a chair is limited by esthetic and styling considerations, while a bed must be of sulficient width to properly support the occupant. In a sofa-bed, where the longitudinally-folded bed frame serves as the seat for the chair, the bed frame is conventionally located between the upholstered chair arms, with the result that the over-all width of the chair is the sum of the bed frame Width and the widths of the folded arms. Since the bed frame must be of a minimum width which is substantially equal to the normal width of a chair, the chair bed is then required to be of an unduly great width which is unsightly and cumbersome.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a chair bed which overcomes the aforementioned disadvantage by including a bed frame of normal bed width within a chair frame of standard over-all width. This is accomplished by constructing the chair arms in such a manner that they overlap the folded bed frame in the sitting position of the chair. The chair arms are pivotally mounted so that they may be swung outwardly to clear the bed frame and enable the latter to be enfolded and extended when it is desired to use the article of furniture as a bed.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a chair-bed construction of the character described in which an effective, yet simple, linkage mechanism is employed to produce simultaneous pivoting movement of the chair arms, resulting in economy of manufacture and durability 1n use. r

A further object of the invention is the provision of a chair-bed construction of the character described in which friction means may be easily incorporated to retain the chair arms adjustably in their various pivoted positions. Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following specification when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a convertible chair made in accordance with'the invention and shown in full line in the sitting position, with portions thereof broken away and shown in section to reveal internal construction and with the arms and bed frame shown in broken line in their'extended and partially unfolded positions, respectively;

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view showing the chair 3,086,224 Patented Apr. 2 3, 1963 with the bed frame removed and with portions broken away to reveal inner structure;

FIG. 3 is a partial front elevational view showing the chair arms in their upright positions and the front scissor linkage connected therebetween;

FIG. 4 is a partial front elevational view similar to 3, but showing the chair arms in their extended positions;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view through the center of the scissor linkage as taken along line 55 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of the invention employing a foot actuated means for pivoting the arms of the chair; and

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view similar to FIG. 6 illustrating the chair with arms pivoted to an open position.

Referring in detail to the drawings, and with initial attention directed to FIGS. 1 through 5, there is shown a sofa-chair 10 made in accordance with the invention and including a support frame 12 mounted on legs 24. The frame 12 is of open rectangular shape, and comprises side walls 20 and front and rear walls 22. The backrest 16 is formed integrally with the frame 12, being rigidly and immovably mounted on the frame rear wall.

The chair also includes a foldable spring frame, indicated generally by the reference numeral 14, which is of such conventional and well-known construction that it is not illustrated in detail. The spring frame 14 is mounted at its rear end on the chair frame 12 and may be folded up upon itself to fit within the interior of the hollow support frame 12 in the manner shown in FIG. 1, in which condition it serves as the seat for the chair. Thespring frame 14 may also be unfolded so that it extendshorizontally forwardly from the back-rest 16, in the usualmanner. In the latter condition, the frame 14 supports a mattress and serves as the bed portion of the chair.

The chair 10 also includes a pair of upholstered arms 18a and 18b as is conventional in standard easy-chair design. The arms 18a, 1812 are not, however, formed rigidly with the chair frame in the usual manner, but are instead pivotally mounted on the chair frame 12 for lateral movement outwardly thereof. For this purpose, respective metal plates 48a and 48b are rigidly aifixed to the lower front and rear surfaces of each arm 18a and 18b, as by screws or nails 50. A pivot pin 30 is rigidly aflixed to or formed integrally with the outer face of each plate 48d and 48b, each of the pivot pins 30 being journalled in the support frame 12 of the chair, as shown in FIG. 2. The pivot pins 30 are aligned on each arm 18m and I18b, with the result that each said arm is pivotally mounted at its front and rear ends on the chair frame for swinging movement about a horizontal axis outwardly of the chair frame. Such mounting is optional, it being evident that the same pivoting movement of the arms can be accomplished by utilizing conventional hinges to mount the lower side edges of the arms on the support frame 12.

The pivoting movement of the arms 18a and 18b is illustrated in FIG. 1, wherein the normal upright position of the arms is indicated in full line, and the retracted or outwardly-pivoted position of said arms is indicated in broken line. In the retracted position, the arms are moved to a location where they are clear of the spring frame 14, and the latter can be unfolded to its extended position, as will be presently described.

It will be appreciated that the spring frame 14 must be of sufficient width to serve as a bed when the frame is unfolded, such width being substantially greater than the width of a standard chair seat. If the chair were so constructed that the arms thereof extended outwardly from the sides of the spring frame, the over-all Width of the chair would be unduly great, and the chair would be unsightly and would not conform to the esthetic standards of modern furniture. To provide a solution for this problem, the arms 18a and 18b are so constructed that they over-lap the spring frame 14 in their upright position.

Each arm 18 has a lower main body portion 19 and a Wide upper arm-rest portion 21 which projects inwardly over the top side edges of the spring frame 14. The upper arm-rest portion 21 forms with the main body portion 19 a shoulder 32 which overlaps the side edge of the spring frame 14. The over-all width of the chair is thus decreased by the combined lengths of the shoulders 32 in both arms 18a and 18b. In addition to decreasing the width of the chair, this overlapping construction also serves to cover over the angle irons which form the sides of the bed frame 14 so that in the sitting position, these angle irons do not form a part of the available seating surface.

The forward end of the bed-frame 14 is covered by a face board 26 of generally trapezoidal shape. The board 26 is preferably upholstered, and serves to conceal the folded bed frame 14 in the sitting position. The front walls of the arms 18a and 18b are shaped to fit snugly against the edges of the board 26, as shown at 23 in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Pivoting movement of the arms 18a and 18b is coordinated by a pair of scissor linkages 34a and 3412 located at the front and rear of said arms. Both scissor linkages 34a and 3412 are of identical construction and each comprises a pair of crossed links 36 and 38 slidably and turnably coupled at their center portions. For this purpose the links 36 and 38 have respective elongated longitudinal slots 42 and 44 which register with each other and receive a pivot pin 40 sized to slide within both slots.

Each link 36 and 38 is connected at opposite ends to both of the arms. Specifically, it will be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4 that the link 36 is connected at one end by pivot 46a to the plate 48a of arm 18a, and at its other end is connected by pivot 52b to the plate 48b of arm 18b. Similarly, the link 38 is connected to the plates 48a and 48b by respective pivots 46b and 52a. On each arm, the pivots 46a, 52a and the pivots 46b, 5211 are identically spaced from each other, so that the links 36 and 38 are angularly disposed with relation to each other. The pivots 46a and 52a are respectively located below and above the pivotal mount 30 of arm 18a on the support frame 12, While the pivots 46b and 52b are respectively located below and above the pivotal mount 30 of arm 18b.

In use of the article of funiture as a chair, the top surface of the bed-frame 14 is covered by a removable cushion or seat-pad (not shown) which serves as the seating surface. When it is desired to convert the article of furniture to a bed, the seat-pad is removed, and the bed frame 14 is lifted and unfolded. Obviously, it is impossible to lift and unfold the bed frame While the same is overlapped by the arm upper portions 21. The arms 18a and 18b are therefore pivoted outwardly so that they no longer overlap the bed frame but rather are clear of the latter. The bed-frame 14 may then be tilted or lifted upwardly in the usual manner to the position shown at 28 in FIG. 1, and the hinged bed-frame sections unfolded forwardly of the chair.

The operation of the scissor linkages 34a and 34b in the pivoting of arms 18a and 18b can be readily seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. To cause both arms to pivot simultaneously, it is only necessary for the user to pull outwardly upon one of the arms. This arm thus begins to turn about its pivot 30 on the chair frame 12, actuating the scissor linkages 34a and 34b at the front and rear of the chair, and causing the other arm to pivot outwardly by a corresponding distance. Assuming that the arm 18a is manually pivoted outwardly, the pivots 46a and 5211 are turned in a counter-clockwise direction about the pivotal mount 30. Thus, pivot 52a pulls link 38 in a left-hand direction, while pivot 46a pushes link 36 in a) A reverse movement is thus pro-' duced in the other arm 18b upper pivot 52b being'pushed; in a right-hand direction and lower pivot 46b being pulledin a left-hand direction to turn the arm 18b in a clock-f It will thus right-hand direction.

wise direction about its pivotal mount 30. be apparent that any movement of either arm 18a or 18b results in an equal but opposite movement of the other arm.

In order to retain the arms in their various pivoted positions, friction means are provided at the crossing central portions of the scissor linkages 34a and 34b. Such friction means may take the form of a resilient washer 58 which is preferably made of leather, and which is mounted on the pivot pin 40 and located between the links 36 and 38. The pivot pin 40 is in the form of a screw as shown in FIG. 5, which adjustably receives a nut 54. Metal washers 56 are also mounted on the pivot pin 40, these washers 56 being located at the outer surfaces of the respective links 36 and 38. By tightening the nut 54, the leather washer 58 is compressed between the links 36 and 38 and applies frictional pressure upon said links to retain them in their various pivoted positions.

When the arms 18a and 1312 are pivoted outwardly from their upright positions of FIG. 3 to their extended positions of FIG. 4, the central pin 40 in effect slides to the left in slot 42 and to the right in slot 44. A friction force is introduced by the leather Washer 58 which utilizes the relative sliding motion of the links 36, 38 relative to the pin 40, thereby frictionally retaining the arms 18a and 18b in their extended positions.

Referring now to the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, there is shown an article of furniture or chair including a support frame 112 mounted on legs 124. The frame 112 is of an open rectangular shape. The article of furniture 110 includes a back rest 113, and a foldable spring frame 115.

The chair 110 includes a pair of upholstered arms 118a and 11% which are hingedly connected by hinges a and 1311b to the support frame 112. Metal plates 129a and 12% are used for mounting the pivot pins for the linkage 134.

The arms 118a and 118b have lower main body portions 119a and 119!) and wide upper arm-rest portions 121a and 121b which project inwardly over the top side edges of the spring frame 115. The upper arm-rest portions 121a and 121b form with the main body portions 119a and 11912 shoulders 132 which overlap the side edges of the spring frame 115. The overall width of the chair is decreased by the total width of shoulders 132 and the shoulders 132 serve the purpose of concealing the sides of the spring frame.

Pivoting movement of the arms 118a and 11812 is coordinated by the pair of scissor linkages 134 located at the front and rear of the arms 118a and 118b. Both scissor linkages are of identical construction. Each scissor linkage 134 comprises a pair of crossed links 136 and 138.

Each link 136 and 138 is connected at opposite ends to both of the arms 118a and 118b. The link 136 isconnected at one end by pivot 14611 to plate 129a and at.

its other end is connected by pivot 15212 to plate 129]). The link 138 is connected to arm plates 129a and 12% by pivots 152a and 14Gb respectively. The pivots 146a,. 152a and pivots 146b, 15217 are identically spaced from each other so that links 136 and 138 are angularly disposed with relation to each other. The pivots 146a and 152a are respectively located below and above the hinge 130a while the pivots 14Gb and 152b are respectively located below and above the hinge 13012.

When it is desired to convert the article of furniture to a bed, it is impossible to unfold the spring frame until the arms 118a and 11% are pivoted outwardly so that the upper arm portions 121a and 121b no longer overhang the spring frame 115.

In lieu of the friction means used to retain arms 18a and 18b in their various positions, a spring pressed linkage is employed. Pivoted by the means of a pin 160 to the link 136 is one end of a cross bar 162 which extends substantially horizontally between upper portions of the angularly extending links 136 and 138. The other end of the cross bar 162 is provided with an enlarged portion 164 having a substantially L-shaped slot 166 therein. The slot 166 includes a substantially vertical slot portion 168 and a substantially horizontal slot portion 170. Fixed to the link 138 is a pin 172 'which rides in the slot 166. The pin 172 may by provided with a head for retention of the pin 172 in the slot 166.

A pin 174 is provided for pivotally connecting an actuating member 176 to the frame 112. The actuating member includes a substantially horizontally extending arm 178 which underlies the enlarged portion 164 of the cross bar 162, an angularly downwardly extending portion 180 and a foot pedal portion 182. By means of pin 184 secured to the,portion 180 and pin 186 secured to the frame 112, a tension spring 188 is connected to urge the actuating member to a position where the arm 178 is below the enlarged portion 164 of the cross bar 162.

With the linkage in the position as shown in FIG. 6, positive means are provided to prevent pivoting of the arms 118a and 118b about their hinges 130a and 1311b. The pin 172 in vertical slot portion 168 prevents pivoting of the links 136 and 138 and locks the scissor linkage 134 against movement.

In order to release the pin 172 from the vertical slot portion 168, the actuating member 176 is pivoted by depressing the foot pedal 182. This pivots the arm 178 into engagement with the enlarged portion 164 of the crossbar 162 raising the enlarged portion 164 of the crossbar 1'62 and raising the slot 166 so that the pin 172 is in alignment with the horizontal slot portion 170. Then, the arms 118a and 11811 can be pivoted about their hinges 130a and 13Gb with the pin riding in the horizontal slot portion 170. Of course, the spring 188 will raise the foot pedal maintaining it in a concealed position after the arms 118a and 11% have been pivoted to the position shown in FIG. 7

It is noted that the foot pedal 182 is conveniently located so as to be visually concealed yet it may be readily engaged by operators foot standing alongside arm 118a. As soon as the foot pedal 182 has been depressed, the arm 118a is grasped and pulled outwardly to the position of FIG. 7 at which time the spring frame 115 can be outwardly unfolded clearing shoulders 132a and 13212 which have been moved from their overhanging position. The arms 118a and 11812 may be easily -restored to the position of FIG. 6 by pressing inwardly on the arms 118a or 118b.

The linkage including cross bar 162 and pedal 182 thus provides positive means for preventing accidental pivoting of the arms 118a and 118b.

It will be appreciated that the structure described above permits the article of furniture to be constructed with an over-all width no greater than standard chair width, and yet to contain a folding frame of suflicient width to serve as a bed. Because the arm construction is such that arm-rest projections thereof extend inwardly over the lateral confines of the seat portion, the over-all width of the chair is less than the combined widths of the arms and the seat.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described herein, it is obvious that numerous additions, changes and additions may be made in such embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. In an article of furniture including a support and a folding bed frame mounted on said support, a pair of arms located on opposite sides of said bed frame, means pivotally mounting .each arm on the lower portions of said bed frame'for pivotal movement between an upright position and an extended, outwardly-inclined position, the upper portion of said arms overlapping the upper side portions of the bed frame in their upright positions and being out of vertical alignment with the bed frame in their extended positions whereby to provide clearance for unfolding of the bed frame, the lower portion of said arms being adapted to move inwardly and under said seat portion, and means at the front and rear of said support coupling said arms for simultaneous and coordinated movement thereof, said coupling means comprising a scissor linkage including a pair of crossed links, each of said links being pivotally connected at its opposite ends to the respective arms above and below the pivotal mounts of said arms.

2. An article of furniture including a support and a folding bed frame mounted on said support, a pair of arms located on opposite sides of said bed frame, means pivotally mounting each arm on the lower portion of said bed frame for pivotal movement between an upright position and an extended, outwardly-inclined position, the upper portion of said arms overlapping the upper side portions of the bed frame in their upright positions and being out of vertical alignment with the bed frame in their extended positions whereby to provide clearance for unfolding of the bed frame, the lower portion of said arms being adapted to move inwardly and under said seat portion, and means at the front and rear of said support coupling said arms for simultaneous and coordinated movement thereof, said coupling means comprising a scissor linkage including a pair of crossed links, each of said links being pivotally connected at one end to one of said arms at the lower ends thereof above the pivotal mount thereof and to the other arm below the pivotal mount thereof, and slide means connecting the central portions of said links.

3. An article of furniture according to claim 2 in which said slide means comprises a longitudinal slot at the center of each link, and a pivot pin extending slidably through both slots.

4. An article of furniture according to claim 3 in which said slide means also includes a friction element carried by said pivot pin and located between said links to retard the movement between said links.

5. An article of furniture according to claim 4 in which said pivot pin also includes screw means for adjusting the tension of said friction element against said links.

6. In an article of furniture including a support and a folding bed frame mounted on said support, a pair of arms located on opposite sides of said bed frame, means pivotally mounting each arm on the lower portion of said bed frame for pivotal movement between an upright position and an extended, outwardly-inclined position, the upper portion of said arms overlapping the upper side portions of the bed frame in their upright positions and being out of vertical alignment with the bed frame in their extended positions whereby to provide clearance for unfolding of the bed frame, the lower portion of said arms being adapted to move inwardly and under said seat portion, means at the front and rear of said support coupling said arms for simultaneous and coordinated movement thereof, said coupling means comprising a scissor linkage including a pair of crossed links, each of said links being pivotally connected at its opposite ends to the respective arms at the lower ends thereof and means for locking said scissor linkage against accidental pivoting of said arms.

7. In an article of furniture according to claim 6, said locking means including a cross bar pivoted to one of said links, said cross bar having a L-shaped slot therein, said L-shaped slot including a vertical slot portion and a horizontal slot portion a pin on the other of said links engaged in said slot, and pedal means below one of 7 said arms and enagageable with said cross bar for releasing said pin from said vertical slot portion to permit pivoting of said arms.

8. In an article of furniture according to claim 2, means connected to said linkage means for preventing turning 5 movement of said arms inwardly of said seat portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 267,893 Hutton Nov. 21, 1882 10 8 Smith Mar. 31, 1931 Clark July 28, 1942 Bishop et a1 Aug. 4, 1953 Bebry et al July 9, 1957 Rea Sept. 12, 196 1 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain May 4, 1933 

1. IN AN ARTICLE OF FURNITURE INCLUDING A SUPPORT AND A FOLDING BED FRAME MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT, A PAIR OF ARMS LOCATED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID BED FRAME, MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTING EACH ARM ON THE LOWER PORTIONS OF SAID BED FRAME FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT BETWEEN AN UPRIGHT POSITION AND AN EXTENDED, OUTWARDLY-INCLINED POSITION, THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID ARMS OVERLAPPING THE UPPER SIDE PORTIONS OF THE BED FRAME IN THEIR UPRIGHT POSITIONS AND BEING OUT OF VERTICAL ALIGNMENT WITH THE BED FRAME IN THEIR EXTENDED POSITIONS WHEREBY TO PROVIDE CLEARANCE FOR UNFOLDING OF THE BED FRAME, THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID ARMS BEING ADAPTED TO MOVE INWARDLY AND UNDER SAID SEAT PORTION, AND MEANS AT THE FRONT AND REAR OF SAID SUPPORT COUPLING SAID ARMS FOR SIMULTANEOUS AND COORDINATED MOVEMENT THEREOF, SAID COUPLING MEANS COMPRISING A SCISSOR LINKAGE INCLUDING A PAIR OF CROSSED LINKS, EACH OF SAID LINKS BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT ITS OPPOSITE ENDS TO THE RESPECTIVE ARMS ABOVE AND BELOW THE PIVOTAL MOUNTS OF SAID ARMS. 